Enjoy an amazing sailing experience with our semi-private boat trip to Small Cyclades: swim, snorkel, explore, relax and get ready to go back to 20 years ago, when things moved slower and pleasures were simpler. In the Small Cyclades, it’s all about switching off and reverting to island time

Duration 9 hours

AvailableEvery day

Small Group Max 10 people

Meeting pointPort of Naxos

Start time
08:30am

To the southeast of Naxos, the largest of Greece’s Cyclades group, lie five tiny, exquisite, virtually uninhabited islands: the Small Cyclades. These are Iraklia, Schinoussa, Ano and Kato Koufonisi (together known as Koufonisia) and Donoussa. Enjoy an amazing sailing experience with our semi-private boat trip to Small Cyclades: swim, snorkel, explore, relax and get ready to go back to 20 years ago, when things moved slower and pleasures were simpler. In the Small Cyclades, it’s all about switching off and reverting to island time.

Tour program of the Small Cyclades boat trip:

Meeting point at the port of Naxos in front of Naxos Blue Travel (between Omerta Cafe and Zoom) at 8:15am, where you will meet the crew and get on board a comfortable sailing boat.

We set sail at 08:30am and cruise along Naxos south coast. Enjoy some time for swimming and snorkeling in one of many bays along the coast such as the wild Mikri Vigla beach or Aliko beach.

Continuing our tour to the Cyclades, we head to Iraklia, which is the largest and most sparsely populated of the islands, with a core population of just 120, mainly fishermen and their families. There will be two possible stops in Iraklia: Agios Georgios beach or Alimia beach where you can snorkel and find a WWII warplane lying on an arm’s stretch from the sea level.

The next stop is Shinoussa, which is usually described as “dreamy”, although it seems like something of an understatement. The wild landscape, the isolated beaches and the relaxing atmosphere captivate visitors from all over. We will anchor just inside the little bay of the island: enjoy some time to swim in the clear and shallow waters of the bay, while the crew prepares for you a delicious lunch made out of local fresh ingredients for you to enjoy on board.

After, we will set course towards the paradise on earth called Koufonisia. Made up of 3 islands (Keros, Ano and Kato Koufonisi), Koufonisia is the St. Barts of the Small Cyclades, a place where you can escape your daily responsibilities and simply reset. Enjoy some time to swim and snorkel in the warmest and clearest water you’ve ever experienced.

By 6:00pm you will be arriving at the port of Naxos.

*The itinerary of the cruise is strongly related to the sea and weather conditions: the captain will have a personalized approach, working with the conditions of the day to decide the best route, and combining together the most important destination.

To know more about your boat trip...

The Small Cyclades are a complex of small islands located between Naxos, Ios and Amorgos. The most popular among the Small Cyclades islands are Iraklia, Schinoussa, Koufonissia, Keros and Daskali. Visiting the Small Cyclades is especially recommended for those seeking solitude, privacy and relaxation: here, in fact, you will find wonderful bays and small villages, where life is simple, moving very slowly, away from the stress of everyday life.

All of the beaches in the Small Cyclades have in common a particular landscape featuring the arid and rugged ground in contrast with the blue sea and spectacular bays and coves. Welcome to this corner of Caribbean, as it is known throughout the world. Among the most beautiful beaches you will see during the boat trip to the Small Cyclades are some wonderful bays in Schinoussa, in the Koufonisia archipelago, and the beaches of Agios Georgios or Alimia on the island of Iraklia. It will not be possible to visit each of these beaches in only one day, but whatever the captain's choice will be while sailing, you will surely land on beaches that will leave you speechless. The beaches on the island of Ano Koufonisi, for example, are the wildest and most pristine, with no bathing establishments, but only a few private deckchairs here and there to enjoy the sun. In Iraklia you'll find an enchanting sea and crystal clear water: you can disembark at Alimia beach and find the submerged wreckage of a German plane dating back to World War II.

Schinoussa island is still little affected by mass tourism because it is the least known among the Small Cyclades compared to the islands of Iraklia and Koufonisi. Schinoussa, in fact, is a dream island for those who love living in direct contact with the sea, the silence, embracing a simple lifestyle. The social life on this charming island of the Small Cyclades only began in 1840 when some inhabitants of the nearby Amorgos arrived here to cultivate the land. Here you will find only a few villas whose very rich owners come together around the barbecue grill, enjoying the products of the earth. Schinoussa is well known for the production of broad beans, which is a real local delicacy.

The Koufonisia archipelago includes Keros, Ano Koufonisi and Kato Koufonisi, separated from each other by a 200 meter canal. Here too, the landscape appears as a kind of paradise, untouched, wild and surrounded by a crystal clear turquoise sea. Only 366 people live in the whole archipelago, excluding the island of Keros which is completely uninhabited. The most famous beaches of the Koufonisia archipelago are Platià Pounta, also known as Italida, Fanòs and Fìinkas beyond the beautiful beaches of the small Ano Koufonisi characterized by crystal clear waters and fine sand. From some of these beaches you will be able to glimpse the islet of Keros, which guards many archaeological finds from all the Cyclades.

During the sailing trip discovering the Small Cyclades, you will be offered snacks, drinks and, finally, the lunch on board accompanied by the spectacular view of the pristine bays of this enchanting place. You will taste some of the Greek cuisine typical dishes, with products from the nearby Cycladic islands. Among the typical dishes of Greek cuisine are the pita (Greek bread), the saganaki (Greek fried cheese), the moussaka (aubergine and meat pie), the briam (a mixture of potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, mint, garlic, basil), and the unmissable Greek salad with feta (typical Greek cheese) or xinomisitra (creamy cheese locally produced). Regarding the seafood, the most used is certainly the octopus that is literally hung out in the sun before being cooked, honoring the ancient local traditions.

The weather in the Small Cyclades can change quickly, in particular some days are often characterized by strong winds. For this reason the captain of the boat reserves the right to choose the best route to follow while sailing. In any case, we advise you to protect yourself from the sun, which may be very strong at certain times of the day, by bringing sunscreen and sunglasses. This excursion to the Small Cyclades is reserved for a small group of people for you to best enjoy the day on board and to provide the right attention to each guest.

To reach the Small Cyclades, we will sail on an extremely comfortable sailing boat: the Beneteau Oceanis 440. The boat tour to the Small Cyclades accommodates a maximum of 10 people, to ensure our guests privacy and comfort during the entire navigation.

Yes, in case of bad weather/sea conditions the tour might be cancelled. In case of cancellation we are happy to offer our customers the choice of an alternative date or, in case of inability to rebook, the full refund.